Technology

Pixel: a pleasure to use, if you're online

If you need a machine as powerful as the Pixel, you might also need an operating system that can do more, especially when offline.

By ANICK JESDANUNAP Technology Writer

SIEM REAP, Cambodia — Google's first high-end laptop, the Chromebook Pixel, is an impressive machine. It feels light and comfortable in my hands and on my lap. Its high-resolution display makes photos look sharp and video come to life. From a hardware standpoint, it's everything I'd want a laptop to be.

But the Pixel isn't very practical — at least not yet — for most people. It works well when you have a steady Internet connection, but can't do much once you lose that connection. And because it uses Google's own operating system, it doesn't run enough software yet to replace your other machines.